Lake Texoma - Center of the Sailing Universe?

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RandyMoon
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Lake Texoma - Center of the Sailing Universe?

Post by RandyMoon »

Anyone out there sailing on Lake Texoma? Or have sailed on the lake?

There is a fellow Mac sailor at our local sailing club who raves about Lake Texoma, which as the name implies divides a big portion of the border between Texas and Oklahoma. According to him, this lake is the Center of the Sailing Universe. I know.... the Blue Water boys are chuckling at this point in the story. My sailing buddy has been down there for three weeks on his annual pilgrimage with his Mac. He is like a Shi'ite Sailor on a pilgrimage.

The Admiral and I were in Dallas for 4 days last week visiting our daughter (soon to deliver a baby Admiral) and so we decided to visit the lake touted to be the Center of the Sailing Universe on our way back to Kansas, the state from which wind is generated. (Please, no personal comments of wind coming from people in Kansas.)

We drove to a Texoma marina that hosts a sailing club. In fact, there is a 2nd sailing club located down the shoreline. WOW. I saw more sailboats in this one marina than exist in the 4 states surrounding Kansas. We have 220 boats in our marina and this place had 10 times that. The masts looked like a dense forrest.

So the Admiral and I are thinking that the 5 year retirement plan needs to be amended (from sailing the West coast) to buying a lot on this lake, building a log cabin with a close slip, and retiring. It is a beautiful location.

P.S. My daughter was showing me all the things she has bought for the baby and she showed me an outfit she bought with a sailboat on it. Life does not get better than this.
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Divecoz
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Cannot tell

Post by Divecoz »

Is the lake a Rock 8) or Mud :( Bottom lake.I am tryin to schedule a trip to Greers Ferry AR and the surrounding lakes to look at property as they seem to be Rock bottom/clear water.. So what did that lake look like ??
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piratecliff
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Post by piratecliff »

Hey Randy - I googled this lake and WOW. Every photo I came across showed some wind on the water... probably from Kansas. Looks like a great destination!

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Mark Chamberlain
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Lake Texoma

Post by Mark Chamberlain »

Lake Texoma is home of the extremely costly Valiant sail boats, they make the there
Largest inland marina in the USA.

The lake is red Ok dirt with rocks on the Texas Side.
Lake can move up and down 20 ft in dry times.

Always windy, some nice islands to swim off and you can find many areas with clear water when not in the raining up stream.
I do not know of any other lake with the winds blowing and large enough you do not have to tack every 30 minutes to keep from hitting shore.

I have seen 5 ft waves in the big mineral arm of the lake and it can get rough.

A big lake that can get busy on the weekends, only a 2 hour drive from Dallas or Ft worth.

A good fishing lake.
I sent many summer on Texoma for about 25 years. Mostly fishing and camping.

If you like the heat of Texas not a bad place to have a cabin.
\I would look on the OK side, land is cheaper and fewer people.

My brothers and sisters all live not far from Texoma. They like it.

I find that after living in Alaska for 13 years, I cannot stand the heat, traffic or the large amount of people in Texas.

:macx:
Mark
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RandyMoon
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Post by RandyMoon »

Considering the river that feeds it is the Red River, the water looked pretty clean and blue. I had heard that the waves can get pretty large in storms.

Divecoz, there are lots of good lakes in Missouri and Arkansas that have clear water like Lake of the Ozarks, Bull Shoals, Beaver, etc. I think most folks in this region go to those areas for diving. One of those is very clear, I don't remember which.

Weatherwise, I would like to find a location that is good year round, but everyone else does too so land is expensive in those areas.
Frank C

Post by Frank C »

Upon reading your descriptions, I've seen that Lake several times (and wondered about it) when flying into DFW airport in Dallas. It is enormous .. stupendous ... and gorgeous!
Now I know! :)
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RandyMoon
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Post by RandyMoon »

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Brian
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Post by Brian »

There was an article in the August 2004 Sail magazine about trailersailing. One of their top 15 destinations was Lake Texoma. Here is the article:

Located on the Oklahoma/Texas border, Lake Texoma fed by the Red and Washita Rivers, is a prime trailersailing destination only 75 miles north of Dallas. You'll find secluded beaches, harbors, islands, rocky cliffs, marinas, launch ramps, campgrounds, and a yacht club-even nightlife, if you want it. Lake Texoma lies within two wildlife refuges and two state parks, and has excellent fishing for catfish and bass. www.laketexomaonline.com
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RandyMoon
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Post by RandyMoon »

What were all of the top 15 locations? That would be interesting to know.
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Lake Texoma - Center of the Sailing Universe

Post by Al »

Randy
What marina did you go to on Texoma?
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RandyMoon
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Post by RandyMoon »

I went to Grandpappy Marina and Highport Marina. We just spent 20 minutes at each while driving through. Grandpappy had a ton of sailboats. Highpoint was mainly fishing and powerboats.

The other sailing marina appeared to be Eisenhower Yacht Club near Grandpappy.
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